


Confidence Set Up

by genericfanatic



Series: Set Up Stories [4]
Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: F/M, Low Self Esteem, side kravitz/taako
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-21
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-12-27 09:07:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21116246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: Barry's insecurities shine through after Taako starts dating Kravitz, but Lup is right there to help





	Confidence Set Up

**Author's Note:**

> I had nowhere for this to go, I just started writing, and I think something nice came out

There were many things you could not tell about Barry Bluejeans by looking at him. 

You could not tell that he enjoyed dissecting animals in his freetime, a hobby picked up when he was a child which instantly labeled him ‘the creepy kid.’ Joke’s on his peers, that hobby led him to the very successful career as a medical examiner he had to this day. 

You couldn’t tell that Barry had a thing for death metal, an interest he shared with his to-be-wife. He was already thinking about her as his wife, even though the date of their wedding hadn’t arrived quite yet. 

You couldn’t tell that Barry was a very skilled prankster, and liked switching things around for his friends and family as a strange sign of affection, although the real game was waiting to see how long until they noticed. Barry had perfected a straight face for these encounters. 

One thing you probably COULD tell about Barry J. Bluejeans was he was an insecure man. 

He couldn’t help it. He wore his own insecurity like the clothes on his back. He had never been a particularly attractive person, not overly cute as a kid, average-ly chubby as a teen, and had only filled out so far as he was stocky and a little weathered. 

He wasn’t ugly, not really. None of his features were properly shameworthy (not that any real features were shameworthy, but….ugh, that was going down a road he didn’t want to go down.) He was just….average. In his lower moments maybe a bit below average. Always just a bit overweight, never dangerous, but never enough to be in shape. His skin was dry, sunburned easily, and sometimes splotchy. And all that wasn’t even getting into his internal conditions (lactose was his enemy.)

Which. Some of those he could do things about, if he really cared. Sometimes he did, when Taako pushed a facemask on him. But if he cared too much about it, it just made him sad and feeling worse. 

But, for the most part, he was able to work through his insecurities. He had a great job, doing what he loved, which not everyone got to do. He had a kick-ass wife-to-be, who was SMOKING hot, smart as a whip, and all around basically perfect, AND who made no doubt that she loved him. He had great friends, a good place to live...overall, he had enough ammo to get his insecurities to turn on their head. 

Then, Taako started dating Kravitz. And….his insecurities started growing a little stronger. 

Barry had explored the idea that maybe he was bi, a long time ago. He still wasn’t 100% sure, but thinking about it too long spun him in circles, and he had Lup who was all he needed. Still, he could tell Kravitz was conventionally attractive. Like, ridiculously attractive. He was a police officer, and not the donut eating lazy kind, the one who went to the gym regularly and had arms like pythons and abs like a washboard. He had high cheekbones and well cared for skin that shined in the light. His dreads were perfectly twisted and often decorated with beads, or pulled back to show off his neck. He was a snappy dresser, usually in black, but mostly suits, or if he was really casual, sweaters. 

He was smart too, he and Lup knew that, even back when they hated him. That had been part of their problem, he was always frustratingly right about things. Now that they knew him, though, they saw his softer side, the kinder side that Taako clearly loved (even though he was still working up the courage to say it,) the kind of dorky side that loved music and even had long philosophical thoughts on death, leading him and Barry into what the twins called “The most depressing double date topic ever.”

He had everything Barry didn’t. And what was worse, he had everything Barry did have as well.

The twins were very different people, but also strikingly similar sometimes, not just in looks but personality. Still, they were a pair of peas in a pod, freakishly hot, surprisingly intelligent, wacky, kind, goofballs, with a sharp temper and razer wits. 

So Barry couldn’t really be helped noting the sort of...reflection between their respective boyfriends. He knew Lup loved him and only him, but it was hard not to see, from the outside at least, that Taako was the one who’d actually gotten someone on his level, while Lup had more….settled. 

“What do you mean ‘from the outside’?” Lup asked when he tried to verbalize this.

“You know,” he said, “Like, people who don’t know us. If they saw us like, on a double date, there’s hot, hot, hot, ok,” he counted off on his fingers.

Lup scowled, “who cares what they think?”

“I do!” Barry said, “well, sometimes I do.” She still frowned at him as he sighed. “Sometimes I hear things. And they’re just little things, like….like people wondering if I had tricked you, or was secretly rich. Or had a big dick, or SOMEthing.”

Lup smirked, “You do have a big dick.”

“Lup!” He whined, blushing in protest. 

Lup chuckled and came over, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, leaning down to kiss him. “I’m not with you JUST because of your big dick,” she said.

He rolled his eyes, “I know, I know,” he said, “I have a great personality.”

She frowned, “Well yeah, you’re kind and smart, which is important,” she said, “But Barry you know I think you’re hot as hell, right?”

He raised an eyebrow, “Now I’m questioning your taste.” 

“Look, I’m not going to say I don’t have some bias,” Lup said, pulling him closer to press him up against her. “But I love all of you. Including the way you look.”

“Which one of us needs glasses?” he said, joking, but not joking at the same time.

She scowled, taking his glasses off his face and setting them down. Then she cradled his face, “I love your eyes,” she said, “I love the way they sparkle when you’re interested in something, and most of all when they look at me.” He blushed as she kissed his eyebrow. “I love your cheeks,” she said, pinching them, “I love how red they get when you’re embarrassed or tipsy.” She kissed said cheek. “I love your nose, the cute little button it is, down to the last nose hair.”

“Ew,” he said, but she ignored him and kissed the tip of his nose. 

“I love your hair,” she said, “The grey in it makes you distinguished.”

“Old,” he corrected her.

“Did I fucking stutter?” She said, smacking the side of his head. She pet the hair back, sliding her hands to his shoulders, “I love your arms. I love how they feel when you hold me, strong and soft and dexterous all at once,” she ran her hands under his arms to his back, making him squirm as she grazed his ticklish areas. She resolved it with a comforting squeeze, hooking her chin over his shoulder, “I love your fat. No, don’t flinch, it’s a good thing, and I mean it. You’re squishy and warm and...good, so good babe.”

Barry frowned where he couldn’t see. “Is it good, or do you relate it with being good because you have good memories?”

“What’s the difference?” She demanded, a little sharp, though she softened it with circles around his back, “besides, I’ve thought you were hot since I first saw you. Didn’t have memories to confuse it then.”

“You called me a nerd,” he mumbled.

“You are a nerd,” Lup said, kissing his shoulder and letting her hands stray further down, but a nerd with a nice ass,” she patted it fondly. 

Barry sighed, “Well at least I know one part you’re definitely not kidding about.”

She chuckled and pulled back, “You’re beautiful, and I’m sorry if you don’t feel that way. And I don’t know what other people think, but I don’t care, because you’re mine. And if anyone is talking bad about you in any way, I will light them up.”

“No, you can’t do that babe,” he said, “We talked about this.”

She just smiled and leaned in, capturing his mouth. He smiled against her lips, melting into her and letting that be his reassurance. He didn’t need anything else, just holding her close. 

“Really?” Taako said, walking into the apartment, “In the kitchen? Right in front of my salad?”

Lup only broke away to stick her tongue out at him. “That meme’s OLD dingus.”

“YOU’RE old, goofus!” Taako said, taking off his shoes and jacket. 

“We’re the same age!” She said, earning a middle finger from Taako. “Hey Taako, Barry’s hot, right?”

“Way outta your league,” he said, irritated and heading to his room.

Lup gasped in indignation, while Barry laughed, “WE HAVE THE SAME FACE!” Lup yelled at him as he closed his door. Barry didn’t stop laughing, “Asshole,” she muttered. 

Barry cupped her cheek, turning her back to him to regain her full attention. She was glad to give it to him, pulling him into a dip and kissing him breathless.


End file.
